1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for interengaging or mating a pair of rows of slide fastener coupling elements on a pair of stringer tapes, respectively, with a pair of top end stops mounted on the stringer tapes respectively at confronting ends of the rows of coupling elements.
2. Prior Art:
To manufacture a pair of elongate slide fastener stringers having top end stops, it has been customary to attach rows of coupling elements to a pair of stringer tapes along their opposed edges, then pair the rows of coupling elements into a chain of coupling elements, and finally affix top end stops to the stringer tapes at confronting ends of the coupling element rows. For the purposes of saving cost and time, there has been a need for a machine that can produce such slide fastener stringers in two steps, i.e., attaching coupling elements and top end stops simultaneously to a pair of stringer tapes, and interengaging the coupling element rows. Although the former step could be performed relatively easily, the latter step has been considered almost impossible to accomplish since the top end stops are so sized that they are not able to pass through the exit end of a substantially Y-shaped guide channel designed solely to bring the rows of coupling elements into mutual interengagement.